Since 1742, the Sheriff’s Office has proudly served Fairfax County as the original law enforcement agency. The position of sheriff is one established by the Virginia Constitution. At best count, there have been 70 sheriffs in Fairfax County since 1742, including current sheriff, Stan Barry, who was first elected in November 1999. Though early sheriffs served for terms of two years, the residents of Fairfax County elect the current position every four years.

The sheriff’s responsibilities have changed from sole law enforcement official for a mostly rural area of northern Virginia, to wide ranging duties in coordination with a county police department in a booming suburb of the nation’s capital. When the police department was formed in 1940, it assumed patrol, investigative, crime fighting, and transportation safety responsibilities. Since then, the Sheriff’s Office has provided areas of service to the community––managing the Adult Detention Center and Pre-Release Center, providing security in all courthouses and in the judicial complex, and the service of civil process. The sheriff and his deputies have both civil and concurrent criminal jurisdiction in Fairfax County, including the City of Fairfax and the towns of Vienna and Herndon. The Sheriff’s Office­­­­––in conjunction with local police departments––assists with traffic control, issuing traffic summonses, and working with state and local law enforcement agencies. Their continued involvement with programs such as Project Lifesaver International, child identification and safety seat events, and crime prevention enhances public safety and public safety awareness.

With more than 500 deputies, Fairfax is the largest Sheriff’s Office in Virginia and among the largest in the country. The Sheriff’s Office and/or its facilities are accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, and the American Correctional Association.

(Text provided by Public Information Office, Fairfax County Sheriff's Office)